But Nick Fury.
The thing is, even though the film arcs toward openness and transparency (which is amazing in itself) Fury is portrayed as intelligent, thoughtful, righteous, and very correct in his beliefs too——
Steve and Nick Fury have a tense relationship: they argue, Steve gets angry with him, is critical of his style of leadership: they bump heads over Steve’s belief in openness and trust, and Nick’s reliance on compartmentalization and pragmatism.
True, he is shown to be wrong about his support for preemptive technology and weaponization (in CATWS and in Avengers) but he’s justified in his reasoning for his beliefs; ESPECIALLY his reluctance to place trust in any one person.
Both he and Steve are right: Natasha having a seperate mission made Steve’s job difficult, but trusting the big picture to any one person is dangerous; and Fury’s pragmatism ends up saving the day when he reveals he had a backup plan all along. (scanning his bad eye)
Fury’s monologue to a thoughtful Steve in the elevator is a really great moment: it sums up his ethos (a bag filled with money and a gun) and gives background for his beliefs and his outlook.
People have talked about the racial profiling-esque moment with Nick and the cops, but I thought the subtle mention that Nick Fury’s grandfather was a bellhop who lived in a rough neighborhood and had to get rough back was a really great touch that spoke to his perspective as a black man in America.
We know that Fury is a “grey” character: someone who withholds information, lies, and keeps secrets, but what I think is SO AMAZING is that one little scene where, even after knocking heads with Fury the entire movie, and being totally at odds with him- after storming out in anger after denouncing the insight project: Steve still rejects the idea that Fury would be evil or secretly aligned with evildoers.
It’s when he’s talking to Redford, who’s trying to plant the seed of doubt in his mind about Fury.
I think the line is something like “If you knew Nick Fury, you wouldn’t say that.”
Steve has no idea which way is up at this point in the movie: he’s confused, unsure of his allies and his enemies; Nick himself said not to trust ANYONE, and jfc he just found out his neighbor was an undercover agent.
But Steve BELIEVES IN NICK FURY. He believes in this man whom he trusts enough to argue with and defy candidly.
This man may make decisions Steve abhors, but ultimately, he knows where Nick stands.